Panama
9. The party
The salsa is everywhere on the radio (FM91.7 has salsa almost 24/7) here and in the clubs a bit too. There’s perhaps two or three bars where they play lots of salsa. I was at one sometime ago and they even had a male footwork competition. There was a real salsa crowd there !! Then I went again after the carnival, and this time there was a never ending parade and show of various carnival troups and queens and such, really boring because I cannot identify with it at all, but then I had fun with some dudes in the back anyways, so who cares. My experience has been sofar that salsa here (and most likely in most other latin countries) is just another piece that plays a part in the bigger game of seduction between the sexes. Seduction rules, also when it’s a place that plays lots of salsa, so don’t expect too much of that nerdy dance obsessedness as you’d find in some of the salsa night clubs in New York.
The carnival in Panama city is rather lame I found, there wasn’t much going on, at least where I went, other than a heap of people milling around and listening (not dancing) to (often badly performed) live or DJ music. Supposedly the carnival is much better out of town. It appears that most people who can afford it, leave town for carnival and go to the beach or celebrate carnival in las Tablas, Penonome, or elsewhere. Hence it leaves you with a bunch of poor (hence of course 99% black, moreno or mulatto) people (amongst whom many teenagers) who are all strolling via España up and down, looking for their next beer because it’s so cheap (at $0.50, it’s a joke). Because so many people are either leaving town or are buying their drinks/food at via España most bars/restaurants close, so it becomes a rather quiet city in some parts.
Let’s see what I can dig up wrt. nightlife:
Bolero (Bella Vista): plays a variety of latin musics, incl. salsa and cuban salsa, as the owner is cuban. it’s possible to dance although there’s not much space. live 3-piece mainly salsa band on fri/sat. it’s one of those places that’s packed with disguised hookers, or "trabajadores" (at first they appear all nice, but after a day orso the truth comes out, even though they may not charge so much and even though they might be open to a normal relation).
Guaguanco (Bella Vista): live salsa band fri/sat. has more space to dance than bolero, but still is badly designed wrt. interior space. they should get rid of a section of the bar to create a reasonable dancefloor. perhaps not as packed with trabajadores as bolero.
Buena Vista Social Club (aka "Catedral", in Casco Viejo): this place has a real Cuban and incl. cuban groupie bitches that will do anything to show they’re the real McCoy when it comes to cuban salsa. this place seems to be visited by couples and groups of people, so not much of a pickup scene. the band is pretty good though ! just bring your own lunch. they also have R&B/pop music upstairs.
Bohio Florencia (San Francisco): a real community place with very different nights. I came across a night (mentioned above) with a true salsero ambiance, a post-carnival "carnivalito" night with defile of some of local troupes, and a celebration of the birthday of some 15-year old girl. there is a good dancefloor, although it’s hard stone. there’s a lot of salsa, especially later in the night.
Opa (Bella Vista): a place that can be so packed with babes, it’s hard to decide who to hit on. it’s like a conference of models. the music is latin pop with occasionally a salsa. they have shows too, eg. i ran into a samba show. I didn’t see too much hookers or disguised hookers, but perhaps they’re all in the business. Sorry but it was impossible to check that out.
Liquid (Marbella): another Opa-like place, although not as well stocked perhaps. They have live shows sometimes.
Rock Cafe (Marbella): great place to get drunk. pay your cover of $10 ($5 for girls) and just start loading rum-coke or something like that, because it’s an open bar (on tuesdays at least). the place is always packed on tuesdays and there’s lots to choose from. the music isn’t always that great but mostly it’s varied including some salsas (later at night). be sure to bring a girl (or two) because it will help you to get to the front of the line as there are always a lot of people waiting (or just come in later, after say 1 am).
Zoomba (Paitilla):I’ve only been to this place twice. once i walked in really late with a girl and I was really just too excited about her to really notice anything about the place. the other time i went to see ruben blades live so it pretty much didn’t matter what the place looked like since i just didn’t pay attention to it either. anyways, it has a balcony and some cages for dancers so i guess it should be alright. can’t really remember what kind of music they play.
Blu (Casco Viejo): not sure what this place is about except that it has all makings of a snobby Montreal st. laurent house (ump-tss-ump-tss etc …..) club, with lots of posers.
844 (Casco Viejo): they play regular house/R&B mixed with various latin pop music. not a bad place to look for some action.
Coco’s bar: attached to hotel panama. plays all kinds of latin music incl. salsa, and has a live band, as well as a decent dancefloor. packed with hookers though since the hotel is loaded with businessmen.
Now for some more odd places:
Mango’s (Edison Plaza): packed with cowboys dressed in long sleeved business shirts and semi drunk (or behaving as if) girls. Chaotic table arrangement around an improvised dance floor. plays pop music.
Torremolino’s: stereotype hooker pickup joint, with an array of happily smiling women greeting you when you walk in, all eager to get your cash. the waiter is a low-life and so are most of the people in the place. not sure why i ever walked in. they play all kinds of latin music.
Capo bar (Chanis): has a decent dancefloor. it’s located in a suburb, so not sure if it will ever be crowded with some decent folks. they’re supposed to play salsa sometimes. i only peeked in, but never went further because there simply wasn’t anyone (this was on a saturday at around 11:30 pm).
For more info try http://www.cocoas.net/main/portada.asp, http://www.arrankate.net and http://www.prensa.com/denoche.shtml